Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-04-16
Vivid Account Of an Earthquake.

A gentleman in Nice during the recent
earthquake thus describes in the Baltt-
more Sun some of the scenes he witnessed:
Balls were held all over the city, but
there were 90, 600 people at the one great
ball of the night Invent to that ball and
it was very late when l reached home
was quartered in the third floor Of the
Grand Hotel. Though it was nearly day
light | could not sleep, and so lay in bed
reading book. Suddenly and without
warning a roar more terrible than tor
nado came, A thousand mines seemed
exploding under the floor and thousand
trains of cars scented rolling over the
roof. The noise was indescribablc. 1t
seemed as if the world were being ground
to pieces and the city with it. The first
shock threw me into the middle of the
floor, which tipped up like the roof of
house. tried to walk, but was pitched
headlong across the room. The bed rolled
from side to side, and went after it. |
was shaken as a strong man shakes q
boy. AS soon as l could master myself
l managed by great effort to reach
the door leading into Mr.. Burke's room
| adjoining. 1t was locked | kicked
and pounded, but in thas awful roar
could only just hear his voice SHOUTED!
us loud az | could and yelled that it was
an carthquake--that We must fly to the
| street. We burst open the double doors,
! and IN some way. | don't know how, GOT
| down stairs, while the great wells. ten
! feet thick, were cracking with artillery
reports. The scenes in the corridors and
on the floors below us were like riot in
a mldhousc. Beautiful women, with
| long hair streaming down their backs,
| rushed wildly around, bcsceching the
/ p0rterS to save them. One woman APP
| pearcd with Il bird cage and two Canarics.
| The birds were SO frightened that they
| hung backs downwarls from Their cage
with their eyes closed. Having cX-
! pericuced earthquakes in san Francisco,
| thought ] was familiar with them, but
at Nice the horror was beyond description.
On the street the people lost their hcads
Fifty dollars were offered for any kind OF
Il vehicle. Hundreds of ladies in theft
night garments fell on their knees before
great rough portcrs more frightened than
themselves. Money could not hire them
TO 60 into the buildings for trunks. We
dragged down OH: own luggage and
saved everything. Twenty thousar d
people packed the public square.
The second shock was more terrible
than the first. TO tell the truth, l could
not remember whether it was two sec.
Onds or two hours after the first shock,
But it was fearful conyulsion. Then the
panic became general. Think of ito,
600 people trying to dodge 90, 000 build
. ! taI 10
the city fall in ruins New York could
not stand a minute under such shocks
The great blocks of public buildings ross
and fell like ships in a storm. The mo.
ton WIS unlike anything moved by nat.
ural laws. Gravitation seemed entirely
suspended during the throes. My feet
would be in the air and IL moment later
| could see the tops of four-story houses
us they leaned over on the earth billows
sweeping across the city.
I Fortunately for us, Mr.. Burke and my
self had purchased tickets for Paris on the
previous day. At the station we found
Is, coo persons praying to 90 on the next
train. The cars holding seventy people,
were literally packed with humanity, But
Il multitude who were outside could not
get near the train. As high as 1,0OC
francs were offered for IL place on the
train, The first earthquake shock came
at o'clock. At 8 o'clock word was re-
ceivcd by telegraph that another shock
IRON Rome or some other point would
reach Nice in an hour. This created /,
fresh panic. Men in excitement shout
dcrcd addressed women, thinking they
were trunks. Women ran around trying
to save little trinkets, utterly bcrcft Of
sense or Judgment, and imploring the
guards to put them on the cars. The
morning train did not get off until noon
Then was happy. An earthquake
/ changes a mans nature. ! did not care
whether the town sank with everybody
! i'll it if could only get away.